


Cupcake

by tinkertortillion



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: BUT THE WORLD NEEDS MORE MARLIZA, Bar, Crack, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Shitty Relationships, Silly, i wrote this in a day and might not be my best work, john laurens is the counselor in the situations, little bit of crack, maria works in a bakery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 13:30:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9274001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinkertortillion/pseuds/tinkertortillion
Summary: Eliza is done with relationships, and is looking for a nice one-night stand with the help of his guy friends. It should be easy, right? But Eliza was never really one to be emotionally unattached.





	

Eliza walked into the bar, not exactly sure how she got dragged into this. She looked at herself to find that, yep, she was wearing her faded jeans and long-sleeve cerulean top from work.To her horror, she spotted a small stain on her jeans, and immediately retreated to the door. 

  


“Woah, woah come on Liza! We just got here!” John grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, and turned her towards the bar. “We haven’t gone out in forever, and I’m sure you haven’t gone out in forever too.” 

  


“I’ve been busy,” Eliza protested. 

  


“We work together, I know you’re lying,” John grinned knowledgeably. Eliza huffed. “Look, just have a few drinks with us, all right? Lighten up a little, it’s New Years!” 

  


“It’s January the 14th.” 

  


“So? It’s still a new year. YO, HERC! LAF! I FOUND A PLACE BY THE BAR!” John gestured wildly at where they were sitting, making the people around eye him warily. Eliza hid her face with her hand. 

  


“Hercules why are you dressing as if you are about to see the Queen?” Laf said, eyeing his clothes. Indeed, the man had a tuxedo. With the tail coats and everything. 

  


“I don’t know what you mean, I always dress like this. I’m a tailor, after all,” Hercules said haughtily. 

  


“Well Scrooge McDuck, where is your cane? Or monocle?” John said. 

  


“Actually, I did bring a monocle,” Herc fished a shiny monocle from his inside pocket, to John’s horror. Laf sprang into action before Herc could put it on. 

  


“No, Laf, it’s mine!” 

  


“I cannot let you do this! I’m not nearly drunk enough!” 

“Stop!” 

  


Eliza chuckled. She really did miss these idiots. She looked on fondly until the fight got her shoved off her chair. Then, she was taking none of it. 

  


After Eliza had confiscated the monocle, the conversation went into good-natured discussion of their work. As the night went on, everyone became more loose. 

  


“You know what guys?” Eliza cried after her first drink. “I’m lonely.” 

  


“Hear, hear,” Laf said, raising his drink before chugging it. 

  


“But I’m so tired of people breaking my heart!” Eliza said. 

  


“Guys are the fucking worst,” Herc said wisely. 

  


Eliza looked determinedly at John. “John, I never thought I’d say this,” she said slowly, “but I need your help getting a one-night stand tonight.” 

  


John whooped in joy at the words. “I thought you’d never ask!” he roared, clapping her on the back. Eliza grinned, then looked down ate herself to realize she was still wearing these not-so-appealing clothes. 

  


Right.. 

  


“Actually maybe another day, because I look like crap right now.” 

  


“Nonsense, you look fine.” 

  


“Ugh, but I have work tomorrow.” 

  


“Again, we work together ‘Liza, I know that’s a lie. Now let’s scan the room.” John took his empty glass and used it as a telescope as he peered through the bar, narrowing his eyes in concentration. “Aha! That guy!” He pointed triumphantly to a man across the room, whom had a ponytail, handsome face and a nice suit. He was drinking alone. 

  


“That guy?” Eliza said. 

  


“Yup, he’s obviously tired but still has his tie done, which means he is trying to impress and not just blowing off steam from work. Also, he looks like a Wall Street banker, which we all know is not your type. He is a perfect match for a one-night stand!” 

  


Eliza looked the guy over. He seemed decent, not bad-looking at all. The guy, as if sensing her gaze, looked over to her. He have her a quick smile. “All right, all right, if you say so.” She raised her hands in surrender. “This is on you.” 

  


After a quarter of an hour later, she finds out she loves this guy. His name is Alexander and he had just moved to Washington D.C.. 

  


“You work in the White House? My sister works in the White House!” she says, delighted. 

  


“Oh my god, Schuyler? Is your sister Angelica Schuyler?” 

  


“Yes!”   
  


John clears his throat loudly. Eliza looks up from her discussion, frowning. She smiles charmingly to Alex. “Can you excuse me for a second?” she says, and when he nods she walks towards the three men. 

  


“What’s wrong?” she hisses. 

  


“You are way too attached to this guy,” John says, shaking his head. “He is not one-night stand material.” 

  


“What? But you told me he was a good match!” 

  


“I was wrong. Trust me, you’ll end up doing missionary and staring into each other’s eyes passionately and before you know it he’s proposing and you’ll be stuck raising eight children in a tight paycheck.” John said in a suffering voice. Eliza glared at him furiously. “Hey, I’m telling you for your own good.” 

  


Eliza looks back at Alex, who was looking at her already. He immediately looks back at his drink. Gosh, he is so cute. She sighed, John was right. 

  


“Fine, but what, do I just ditch him?” 

  


“Don’t worry, girl, we’ll let him off easily.” John says happily, “Come on, Herc.” 

  


Eliza sighs. As Herc and John leave, she asks for some lemonade and looks wistfully to the distance. She notices Laf fiddling with his cup. 

  


“So how’s Adrienne, Laf?” 

  


Instantly, Laf brightens up. “Oh she is great. She just got a promotion in Paris with her firm last week, did you know? Oh you must have seen, I was Skyping her the other the day when she--” 

  


Eliza let him talk, seeing fondly how Lafayette spoke about his fiance, thinking how she wanted that someday. She is so entranced in what he was saying that she does not notice at first the tapping on her shoulder. She turns around. 

  


“Hi,” a gorgeous woman says, smiling radiantly at her. “Can I buy you a drink?” 

  


Eliza stares at her, then she looks over her shoulder as if to find the person this woman is talking to, but she only finds Laf looking at her with a smirk. She turns back, wondering if maybe she is in a reality TV show because this woman was way out of her league. She is wearing wearing a red top with high-waisted pants, attire meant to be casual and still she looked classy. Her face looks kind, yet sharp, and is wearing red lipstick that makes you stare at her full lips. 

  


“She’d love to,” Laf answers charmingly, placing an arm on Eliza’s shoulder, which brings her back to earth. 

  


The woman smiles again, looking at Eliza, as if politely waiting to make sure she is fine with it. 

  


“Yeah, I would,” Eliza says quickly, hating how her voice rises slightly. She gulped, forcing herself to be cool. “What’s your name?” 

  


“Maria.” 

  


“What a beautiful name,” Eliza says automatically before blushing at how weird that sounded. Maria chuckles. “I’m Eliza.” 

  


“I’m just going to go with John and Herc, yes?” Laf says. Eliza looks at him in panic. Don’t leave me! But Laf just gives her a reassuring nod, and walks towards the table where John and Herc are sitting, where they apparently are in an enticing conversation with Alexander. 

  


Eliza cannot believe her luck. The more she talks to this woman, the more she falls in love with her. She’s into the culinary arts, loves the same music as her, and volunteers in the dog shelter! I mean, who does that? 

  


“But I’m more of a cat person myself.” Maria says, pulling her hair behind her ear as she gives a small smile. 

  


Eliza could cry right then and there. 

  


When Maria goes to the bathroom, Eliza rushes into the table where John, Herc, and Laf are at. “You guys, I love her!” Eliza gushed, fanning herself. “Oh,” she blushed. “Hey, Alex.” 

  


“Hey Eliza,” Alex says cheerfully. 

  


“Sooooo, tell us about her,” Herc says. 

  


“She is perfect! She’s from New York too, and she moved here with her boyfriend but they broke up and now she is working in this adorable bakery just two blocks by where I work so I can go see her in my break and she goes at the same gym as I so--” 

  


“Babbling,” John says simply, and the table chuckles lovingly. “You are really in for this one.” 

  


“I know,” Eliza says ruefully. “And I know you said no emotional attachment, but let’s face it, I’m not one-night stand material.” 

  


“Hey, you don’t have to listen to me. Just do whatever makes you happy.” 

  


Eliza looks at him suspiciously. “That is unusually mature of you, John.” 

  


“Hey, I can be mature,” John says defensively. He pauses, then adds, “Also I might feel a little bit guilty because I hooked up with Alex in the bathroom.” Alex slaps him in the back of the head while Laf and Herc roar in laughter. John grins while Alex blushes a deep crimson. 

  


“Wow,” Eliza says, wrinkling her nose. “How long have I been talking to Maria?” 

  


“A long time,” John replies, nodding. “Actually I think they are about to close the club.” 

  


“Oh shit, here she comes. Later,” Eliza quickly combs her hair as she sits back down by the bar. 

  


“So,” Maria says, giving Eliza that smile that makes her feel dazed. “It’s getting late. Do you want to, maybe, go to my place?” She says this through a deep gaze, and she slowly places her hand atop Eliza’s. 

  


Eliza wants to say yes, yet a voice in the back of her head chimed in, saying that she should take it slow if she actually wants this to last. She really likes Maria. But then Maria starts to lean in, and the voice shuts up in an instant. Eliza looks down at Maria’s lips, licks her own hungrily, and leans in as well. 

  


Really, how can she say no to that. 

*** 

Eliza should have seen this coming. Really, how stupid can she be. After that incredible night--and really, what a night that had been--Eliza wakes up in a bright state, grinning from ear to ear. She goes to have lunch with the guys and Angelica, and even she notices her radiant state. 

  


“That really must have been a good lay,” Angelica says through a mouthful of steak. John snorts. 

  


Eliza doesn’t notice; she is in her own cloud of bliss. She even talks happily to Alex without feeling awkward, and slaps John in the shoulder lovingly at all the innuendos. 

  


“You don’t think it’s too early if I text her now, right?” Eliza says anxiously. 

  


“Liza, I already told that whole wait-before-texting is bullshit. If you like the person, you like them, and waiting a few hours isn’t going to change anything,” Angelica says, rolling her eyes. 

  


“What do you think, John?” 

  


“It’s fine to text her, it’s the afternoon already.” 

  


“Thanks,” Eliza says brightly, grinning. Angelica stares daggers at John. He just shrugs and places his arm around Alex’s shoulder. She eagerly types in a comment that she hopes is nonchalant but still showed that she thought of her. To her joy, she receives a text almost immediately. 

  


Who is this? 

  


Eliza frowned. 

  


“What?” Lafayette says, looking at her closely. 

  


“Nothing.” It’s Eliza, from last night, she typed. 

  


“Eliza, what’s up?” Angelica says, looking at her sister with concern. 

  


Eliza looks at the reply as if it was in another language. “It’s a wrong number.” 

  


The table turns silent. Angelica places a hand over sister’s shoulder. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry--” 

  


“I have to go,” Eliza said, standing up abruptly. She strolls away, leaving her meal untouched. 

  


After another pause, Hercules asks, “Shouldn’t we be going after her.” 

  


“Give her time,” Angelica says quietly. “She has a process.” 

  


Everyone hums in agreement with small replies of “Ah yes, the process.” Alex frowns. 

  


“What process?” 

  


“The getting-over-a-break-up process. She first watches Shrek 2 while eating ice cream,” Lafayette says, slowly sliding Eliza’s food plate towards him. 

  


“I’m sorry, did you say Shrek 2?” Alex says. 

  


“Hey, Shrek 2 is a masterpiece!” Hercules growls. Alex looks at him in alarm. 

  


“Sorry,” John says. “Shrek is a sensitive topic here.” Alex nods slowly. 

  


“Anyways, she need six hours of desolation before she’s ready to be with anybody, but since the relationship was really never a relationship I’ll give her four hours. Now, what to do with that time?” Angelica says. 

  


“We could go watch a movie,” Lafayette responds. 

  


The table gave some half-hearted yeahs and “that would be cool.” 

  


“Or we could go play paintball,” Alex suggests. 

  


The table roared enthusiastically, with Hercules instantly saying, “Lafayette’s on my team!” 

  


*** 

  


It takes longer for Eliza to get over Maria than anyone expected. Eliza was going to miss work if Hercules had not stormed into her apartment and yelled some sense into her. It was all the more terrifying when the group realized it had been in the middle of the night. After a week, she comes to work and does not look like she just arrived from a funeral, so that’s good. 

  


“John, we have to talk about these papers before lunch, m’kay?” Eliza says at the foot of the door. 

  


“Whatever you say,” John says, looking up from his desk. “Also Alex and I are going to go to dinner. Wanna come with us?” 

  


“John, I know you are being kind, but I rather rip my toenails off than be third-wheeling with you and Alex.” Eliza deadpans. 

  


“Burr is coming too!” John protests. 

  


“No I’m not,” Burr’s voice tones from the next office. 

  


“Thanks buddy,” John shouts sourly. He turns back to Eliza. “It doesn’t have to be dinner, it would be a club, and I can invite Herc or something.” 

  


“It’s fine, John,” Eliza says, hoping to pass off a grin. “Look, John it is fine, okay? Go have fun with Alex.” 

  


John looks at her with a frown. “Fine,” John says, exasperated. “Call me if you need something, all right?” 

  


“Of course, Laurens,” Eliza smiles. She leaves, thinking how maybe she’ll stop by a Dunkin’ Donuts before going back to her apartment. What a day. 

  


Entering her office, she peruses through her archives and does not notice the cupcake at first. Then, she looks up, and see the little sticky note peeking at the top of the papers, next to a chocolate cupcake topped with a ridiculous amount of icing and heart confetti. 

  


I’m sorry, the sticky note reads. 

  


“Ms. Schuyler, a Ms. Lewis is here to see you.” 

  


Eliza jumps at the sound of the telephone. She automatically responds with a “Let her in” before realizing her mistake. She lets out a panicked yelp and runs into John’s office. 

  


“John!” she hisses. 

  


“What?” he responds, alarmed. 

  


“Maria is here, what do I do?” 

  


“She’s here? Then let her wait, don’t give her the privilege of coming in.” 

  


“I kinda already let her in.” 

  


“Oh,” John says, blinking. “Then I can’t help you.” 

  


“You are no help!” Eliza screams. Burr shushes her from the other room. Eliza stomps into Burr’s office. “Shush me again,” she says in a terrifying tone. Burr remains silent. She returns to John, who looks amused with the whole scenario. 

  


“Just tell her I’m not here for me. I moved to Guam,” Eliza pleads. 

  


John raises his eyebrows, and points at something behind Eliza. 

“Uh, hi,” a voice says behind Eliza, and she freezes. Quickly pulling herself together, she turns around to face the woman behind her. 

  


“Hi,” Eliza says gruffly, clenching and unclenching her fists. 

  


“If I may,” John says from behind, getting next to Eliza. “I’m going to speak for Eliza when I say to you, Maria, that giving Eliza a fake number was really fucked up of you,” John says matter-of-factly. 

  


“John,” Eliza mutters. 

  


“I know,” Maria says. “I know it was a horrible thing to do, it’s just--” She looks around her, noticing how everyone on the floor is looking at them. 

  


“Um, let’s go to my office,” Eliza says, throwing dirty glances at the passersby colleagues. Even Burr curiously peeks his head to see the scene. 

  


When Eliza closes the door, she walks to the other side of her desk out of habit, and notices how uncomfortable Maria looks. It was odd, to not see her in her playful, uncaring way she had held herself in the bar. 

  


“So,” Eliza prompts her. 

  


“Look, Eliza, I just had to say,” Maria looks down, unconsciously pulling her behind hair. When she looks up, her eyes seem wider. “I’m sorry.” 

  


Looking at her, Eliza wants to be mad. She has made her life miserable for a week. But if Eliza is good at something, it’s seeing through people’s bullshit. It is what makes her a good lawyer. So when she sees Maria there saying sorry, she knows that she means it. 

  


“That night was amazing, and I really did enjoy it. It’s just...I overheard you when you had said that you wanted a one-night thing. Look, you know about James, but really, I have gone through a lot of shitty relationships, so I haven’t been looking for anything serious, and so I bought you that drink and, um, we started talking…” Eliza waits for her to continue. Maria looks frustrated. “It’s just that you looked so gorgeous the next morning and you asked for my number and I panicked. I-I-I’m sorry.” Maria finishes lamely. 

  


Eliza looks up at her. She’s wearing her uniform, a pink shirt that reads Abigail’s Bakery. Her hair is up in a messy bun. Her eyes look as bright as ever, but there were dark shadows under them that are not there before. This somehow breaks Eliza’s heart a little. She cannot help herself when she sighs, and reaches for Maria’s hands. 

  


“You’re not the only one who has gone through shitty relationships,” Eliza says softly. As she rattles her brain, she makes a decision. “Look, um, I don’t forgive very easily.” 

  


A loud snort is heard from outside the door. 

  


“Shut it, Laurens!” Eliza says loudly. “But, um, I’d love to give this a try again.” 

  


Maria instantly smiles that radiant smile before nodding and clearing her throat. “Okay.” 

  


“But I do warn you,” Eliza says with a smile. “That my forgiveness comes with a price.” 

  


Maria raises and eyebrow. “And what exactly is that?” 

  


Eliza points to the pastry on her desk. “Lots of cupcakes!” 

Maria stares, then begins to laugh uncontrollably. Eliza grins at the sight, bringing the cupcake to her mouth. It was honestly the most delicious thing she had tasted. 

  


It was easy after that. 

  


**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Eliza was curious if Maria’s cupcakes were really that good or she was just biased, and she made Herc try some as a second opinion. Herc ended up eating all the forgive-me cupcakes.  
> 2\. Alex was one of Maria’s shitty boyfriends, unfortunately, but it was a long time ago, and both have changed, so they end being able to hang out in the group together just fine.  
> 3\. Throughout this fic I wanted to include something with Herc doing eggnog shots because it sounded both horrible and something Herc would do, my child. Alas, I did not get the chance.


End file.
